Hamels, Polanco Star in Trip-Ending Win over D’Backs

The Phillies finished out their 10-game, west-coast road-trip with a 7-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. The victory ends the long jaunt across the country at 5-5. Today, it was all about Cole Hamels, who earned his third victory in four starts.

On offense, the Phils put up seven runs on 13 hits, giving them 15 runs and 25 hits in two days.

HAMELS LOCKS IT DOWN

-The final damage of the D’Backs: eight innings, four hits, two runs, one walk, seven strikeouts. Hamels needed 108 pitches on the day, throwing 72 strikes.

-Hamels allowed a lead-off double to Willie Bloomquist to start things off. He then picked off Bloomquist in an ugly rundown that went 1-5-1-4-6-3, if you were scoring at home. After that, Hamels retired 18 straight Diamondbacks and faced the minimum from the second batter of the game up until the second batter of the seventh inning. If you saw that at-bat, Hamels nearly had Bloomquist struck out on a foul tip, but Carlos Ruiz could not hold onto it.

-The seventh inning was the one Hamels would like to muck. After striking out the first batter on three pitches, he allowed three consecutive singles and a walk. A sure-double-play ball was botched by Pete Orr, allowing the second of two runs to score for ARZ in that inning.

-He had given 20 hits in just over 18 innings heading into the matchup with Arizona, which was really the only knock on Hamels early in the season. However, he raised his K/BB ratio to 30/3. A silly figure.

RUNS ARE FUNS!

-“How about that,” as T-mac would say. The Phillies put together a big inning, posting five runs in the sixth inning and sending 10 men to the plate. Hamels helped himself by knocking in two with a bases-loaded, broken-bat, two-out single. Hopefully someone on the Phillies DVR’d that inning, because they need to go back and look at how those runs were produced. Solid, patient at-bats.

–Placido Polanco reached base five times on the day; three hits and two walks to go with two runs scored. The last time Polanco reached base four times in a game was April 27, 2011. Polly has really been scuffling so he needs to build on this.

-Phillies with multi-hit games: Pierre, Polanco, Pence, Ruiz.

-Go back to the ninth inning of the first game of the Arizona series, and that could be the jumping off point for the offense. – runs is hardly an explosion, however, it could be all they need to get the ball rolling in the right direction.

NOTES

–Michael Schwimer made his season debut with the Phillies, sitting down the D’backs in order in the ninth inning.

-It’s back to Citizens Bank Park on Friday after an off day tomorrow. The Phillies will begin a four-game series with the Cubs over the weekend. If they can nab 3-of-4 from Chicago, it could be a nice turn around heading into May.

I have to agree the negative windbag has brought the best in the Phillies these last two days. It sucks that Directv or MLB did not have it on extra innings so I will not be able to see it tonight after work. I guess I have to live with the highlights. Just wondering were Poly’s hits ground ball solid long drives or blooppers? Maybe he just needs some rest. And isn’t this also the second start in a row for Cole with a hit. I think he wants to win the pitchers batting title from Cliff this year. Now all he needs is a couple of dingers.
Looking forward to the drive from VT to Philly for this Sunday’s game, first game since home opener for me and really ready for a live game
GO PHILLES

At the game. Polancos hits were half and half. Phillies would have scored more had Pence not been thrown out at home and if Ruiz would have stopped at third instead if trying to score from first on a passes ball.

I like the aggresive base running, I know it coast runs at times but by forcing throws gives more chances for mistakes. Obvioulsly you do not push the limits against guys who have proven to be able to make plays, but I personelly I think the fringe guys who force them to make the throw

I like the aggressive running, too… Pence stumbled around third, otherwise he scores. Ruiz probably should have stayed at third (especially with one out). It was a nice thought and I’m ok with it because he didn’t hesitate (he saw the opportunity and went for it) but in that situation, having a base runner on third base with one out is not worth the risk of getting thrown out at home… on a passed ball… from first base (one of the most bizarre plays you’ll ever see).

situation always is importent when deciding on how agresive you want to be. I just think especially scoring from second on a base hit, the fielder has to field the ball pretty cleanly and make a good throw, the catcher has to block the plate catch the ball make the tag and hold onto the ball. A lot of things that have to happen to be out, The runner just has to have average speed and not fall or stumble around third to reach the plate arond the same time as the ball.